Truth be told, I am a competitive person. I enjoy winning, whether it be board games, Halloween costume contests, or industry awards. I know some of you in the nail world can be competitive as well, which is why there are so many fantastic nail competitions out there.

I understand that this industry is relatively small, fostering competitiveness between most, if not all, of the nail manufacturers involved. That’s why I was overjoyed when nail icon Tammy Taylor joined me and the team at KUPA for a Facebook Live. The episode aired on NAILS’ and KUPA’s Facebook pages and discussed Taylor’s sponsorship of NAILS Next Top Nail Artist.

On the air, Taylor attributed her willingness to come on KUPA’s show to a desire to inspire nail technicians and keep them motivated. She remembered doing nails for 14 hours a day and said that while she loved it, she could get so tired and needed excitement and motivation. “Nails IS a career!” said Taylor, who reminded the audience that in this field, a nail tech can do anything. “You can teach, you can have your own products, you can write books, you can do classes; it’s endless. There’s something for everybody,” she said. “When you think about it, this is probably the only business in the world where women have no ceiling. You can go as far as you want.”

It’s my hope that in going as far as you want, you remember to not put a cap on anyone else’s success. With salons located in close proximity to one another, it’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling competitive. Some great advice I was once given is that there’s room for everyone. I think this echoes what Tammy Taylor is saying. I’m grateful that both she and KUPA could come together to promote the greater good in our industry. I love that neither company saw themselves as a competitor of the other, and that we were able to have a conversation about the things that unite us. Yes, sometimes there is a need to compete, but it doesn’t have to eclipse the need to succeed.